White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Agency overview
Formed	September 24, 1990
Agency executives	Alejandra Ceja, Executive Director Marco Davis, Deputy Director
Parent agency	US Department of Education
Website	ED.gov/HispanicInitiative

The White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics is a special group within the Department of Education. Its main job is to help the nation provide great education. It also works to increase chances for Hispanic Americans to join federal education programs.

This Initiative also helps close the gap in how well Hispanic American students do in school. It provides information and support for a special group called the President's Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanics.

How it Works

Even though it's called a "White House Initiative," this group is actually part of the United States Department of Education. It has its own staff and funding. Its main purpose is to support the President's Advisory Commission. This Commission gives advice to the Secretary of Education and, through them, to the President.

President's Advisory Commission

The number of people on the Commission changes with each new President. It usually has between 15 and 25 members, often led by two co-chairs. These members come from many different areas, like education, sports, business, and entertainment. They serve without pay, as it's an honorary role.

All members are either well-known Hispanic Americans who are leaders in their fields or other people known for helping Hispanic communities. The Commission writes reports to give advice and guidance.

The Initiative's Role

The Initiative is a full office within the Department of Education. It has both appointed and permanent staff. An Executive Director leads it, chosen by the President or the Secretary of Education.

The Initiative's main work usually ends when the President who created it leaves office. However, the office doesn't completely close. A small team stays on, waiting for a new President to issue a new order or for staff to be given new jobs.

History of the Initiative

Early Years (Bush Sr.)

The Commission and Initiative first started during President George H. W. Bush's time. This was part of his "America 2000 Education Strategy." For about two years, Hispanic groups and leaders, like Raul Yzaguirre, had been asking the government for a federal agency. They wanted it to help with education for Hispanic Americans and improve their school performance.

On September 24, 1990, President Bush signed Executive Order 12729. This order created the first Commission and the Initiative. The goal was to give advice to the Secretary of Education on how Hispanic Americans were doing in reaching national education goals.

The Commission was asked to focus on several key areas:

• Helping parents get more involved.
• Encouraging early childhood education.
• Removing things that stop students from succeeding, like not knowing English well.
• Helping students reach their full potential at all school levels.
• Getting businesses and communities more involved in improving education.

However, there were some early problems. The first director resigned, and the Secretary of Education left. The Commission members were finally sworn in a year later, in September 1991.

Clinton Administration

Cover of a 1996 report about Hispanic American education.

President Bill Clinton brought the Commission back on February 18, 1994, with Executive Order 12900. The new Commission's goals were a bit different. It was meant to:

• Report on how Hispanic Americans were doing with national education goals.
• Watch and coordinate federal efforts to help Hispanic Americans get good education.
• Find ways to increase involvement from states, businesses, and communities.
• Find ways to expand and add to federal education programs.

Again, it took almost a year for the Commission to get fully started. In February 1995, 24 members were sworn in. Later, the chairman, Raul Yzaguirre, said the Commission wasn't working well. He felt it was stuck in "bureaucratic morass and partisan politics."

In September 1996, the Commission released its report, Our Nation on the Fault Line: Hispanic American Education. A new Executive Director, Sarita Brown, was appointed in 1997. She was praised for bringing new energy to the Initiative and focusing on funding for Hispanic education.

Bush Jr. Administration

President George W. Bush created his Advisory Commission on October 12, 2001. The Commission's job was to give advice and write reports to:

• Track how Hispanic Americans were closing the achievement gap and meeting goals from the "No Child Left Behind" plan.
• Develop and coordinate federal efforts for high-quality education for Hispanic Americans.
• Find ways to increase involvement from parents, states, local groups, and businesses.
• Find ways to make federal education programs as effective as possible.

The Commission had 20 members, including famous people like astronaut Fernando Caldeiro and teacher Jaime Escalante. They released two reports during this time. The first, in September 2002, was about the state of Hispanic education. The second, in March 2003, offered six ideas to improve Hispanic educational success.

In 2005, the Initiative hosted a conference called Pathways to Hispanic Family Learning. This led to a new program, the Partnership for Hispanic Family Learning. This program helped Hispanic families get the knowledge and tools to prepare their children for school success.

Obama Administration

President Obama signs Executive Order 13555, October 19, 2010.

In 2009, the Barack Obama Administration started gathering ideas on what the Hispanic community needed for education. President Obama set a big goal: by 2020, America would have the most college graduates in the world.

On October 19, 2010, President Obama signed Executive Order 13555. This order renewed the White House Initiative. Its mission was to help the U.S. become a world leader in education again. It aimed to expand education chances and improve results for Hispanics of all ages. The goal was to ensure all Hispanics get a complete education that prepares them for college, careers, and good lives. The President said, "The future of the United States is inextricably linked to the future of the Hispanic community."

The President also appointed a new commission, including famous singer Shakira. In September 2011, the White House released a report called "Winning the Future: Improving Education for the Latino Community."

In October 2013, the Initiative started a monthly online meeting series called webinars. These webinars connect leaders and highlight "Bright Spots." These are programs, schools, or groups that are helping to close the Hispanic achievement gap. Topics have included early learning, immigrant integration, and financial aid.

In December 2013, Executive Director Alejandra Ceja announced a new plan for 2013–2016. This plan aimed to get local, state, and national leaders, as well as families and students, involved in helping Latino communities achieve educational excellence.

In May 2014, the Initiative released ¡Gradúate! A Financial Aid Guide to Success. This guide helps Hispanic students and their families understand how to apply for college and get financial help. The Initiative also supported President Obama's My Brother's Keeper Initiative. This program helps young men of color, including Hispanics, reach their full potential.

In 2015, the Initiative celebrated its 25th anniversary. It launched a "year of action" to highlight educational progress and make new recommendations for leaders.

Who Leads the Initiative

The current executive director of the White House Initiative is Alejandra Ceja.

Past Directors